


Humans are my favorite mythical creature

by xAndurielx



Category: Original Work
Genre: Aliens, Earth is Space Australia, Humans Are Weird, Humans are space orcs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2019-11-18 02:48:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18111701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xAndurielx/pseuds/xAndurielx
Summary: Short stories about humans on the galactic scene, some from alien points of view and others about these mythical tiny juggernauts. Brought over from tumblr and added to when possible.





	1. They call me a space cowboy...

**Author's Note:**

> Ok these are just short stories about how weird humanity is and what it might be like to view humans from a different species point of view.

The humans had abandoned them. After seemingly endless cycles of fighting the battle was about to be lost and the war with it, and the humans had left them to fight for themselves.

‘So much for the legendary pack-bonding of humans’ Krillna thought to himself as he leaned around his bunker to lay down some suppressing fire on the enemy. Tungsten rods magnetically accelerated to near supersonic speed ripped into the battle field and enemies died by the dozens…but it wasn’t enough.

Seemingly endless waves of the reptilian enemies known as the Slentine seemed to crawl and slither towards their position. Fields of scales and fangs greeted him every time he looked around his barrier, looks of desperation and hopelessness looked back every time he turned away from the battle.

“You would think the humans could have at least left us the weapons before they ran like cowards!” cried out one soldier before he was cut down by enemy fire.

_Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’_

“Did anyone else hear that?” Krillna asked after firing another salvo of rounds towards the slowly advancing enemy. Looking at his ammo counter and seeing it was empty Krillna threw his weapon to the ground and grabbed the ceremonial bone dagger the warriors of his people were gifted upon maturity.

_Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’_

Holding the blade to his chest and breathing the prayers of his youth, Krillna begged the seven skies of his homeland for the power of the mighty storm, pleaded for his spirit to be flown on the winds to his ancestors. Finding himself at the end of his prayers and ready to face the enemy head on, to fight tooth, bone and claw in the ways of his ancestors, Krillna couldn’t help but think he heard something on the wind again. Looking to the forest side of the battlefield, Krillna felt a rumbling through the pads of his clawed foot.

Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ RAWHIIIIIDE!

With the sound of thunder and snapping trees, Krillna felt all three of his hearts stop and fall. Gierophants, mighty horned beasts weighing several tons with great crests of hardend skin behind the skull to protect the neck and a row of spines extending the length of the spine, each one as tall as Krillna’s 7 foot frame. Easy to anger, nearly impossible to outrun and harder to damage and often found in herds of 50-100 the gierophant  was this world’s largest inhabitant, but Krillna thought he saw something on the back of the lead beast.

Humans. Humans were riding the gierophants…a herd of what looked to be 60 or more and each one had a human standing on the snout of the creature and even more behind the crest or between the dorsal spines.

RAIN AND WIND AND WEATHER

The humans were each lashed to a spine or each other with lengths of rope and each one was firing wildly into the horde of enemies, hanging sideways from the flanks of the great beasts, weaving between the spines, crouching behind the crest and all were firing their rifles.

HELL BENT FOR LEATHER

“Sir? Am I having a substance dream or are those humans riding Gierophants into the Slentine ranks in a stampede while singing what sounds like a human battle song?” A young warrior asked in disbelief as the battle field seemed to come to a stop. The pause didn’t last long as the slentine soldiers quickly turned their weapon on the stampede of human madness and animal rage.

WISHING MY GIRL WAS BY MY SIIIDEEE!

“You are most definitely seeing this pup, the crazy humans went and did the impossible again…WARRIORS OF CANTRAXA” Krillna called out to the stunned warriors behind him, filled with a renewed hope for victory “DRAW YOUR BLADES AND RELOAD YOUR WEAPONS, THE HUMANS HAVE GIVEN US THIS CHANCE AND BY THE FIRE PLAINS OF OUR HOME WORLD I WILL NOT STAND BY AND MAKE NOTHING OF IT!” holding his blade high above his head the Pack-Master let loose the battle cry of his ancestors with such ferocity that it seemed to ring from the very heavens, turned from his comrades and ran face first into the chaos of the newly evened battle.

ALL THE THINGS IM MISSIN’

Three hardened battle packs of Cantraxa warriors, thought to be beaten down by sheer numbers and attrition, thought to be defeated and simply too stupid to understand… howled…each and every one felt what the humans referred to as battle lust and with the feeling of fire singing in their veins each and every one reached deep into their souls and called the ancient war cries of times long past.  
  
GOOD VIDDLES, LOVE AND KISSIN’

The humans sang on, swinging wildly from the sides of the Gierophants or hanging on with one hand firing with the other seemingly oblivious to the rounds of enemy’s fire flying past them. With every human felled the others seemed to sing louder. Krillna was in awe of these small hairless creatures as he ran towards the battle, they rode the great beasts of this world like they were born to it, they faced a horde of enemies without fear and sang their defiance in the face of death and defeat.  
  
ARE WATING AT THE END OF MY RIDE

The battle was won, the slentine ranks had been broken in half by the stampede and when the front ranks turned to fire on the new threat they were drowned in an avalanche of fur and fang, bullet and bone from the Cantraxa warriors. The humans had ran over and shot down much of the enemy, the field had been churned to a bloody mud pit of broken bodies and weapons, the Gierophants long gone by then after the humans had dismounted and returned to base.

Krillna watched in curious amazement as the humans went about their post battle chores. Groups of humans combing the battlefield for survivors, pulling bodies from the muck and determining if they could be saved or not. Slentine and Cantraxian alike were given final honors or medical aid…mere hours before these small hairless maniacs were riding juggernauts of death into battle while singing and laughing and now they were providing aid and respect to not only their comrades but the enemy as well.

_Amazing graaaceee_

A hauntingly sad and seemingly profound song floated like fog over the battle field from somewhere among the humans.

_How sweet the sound_

Funeral pyres and graves were dug according to cultural wishes, wounded were cared for regardless of species or alignment in the war. Bodies counted and tears were shed that day and as the last sun in the sky fell below the horizon, Krillna found himself surrounded by his warriors and humans. Holding a strange liquid in his cup, the humans called it beer…or maybe stout?...Krillna looked to the leader of the humans as she stood upon a table laden with food and drink.

“Tonight we celebrate our victory!” the humans cheered and the cantraxans yipped and howled like pups.

 “Tonight we mourn our glorious fallen!” With a silence that choked the very soul, every human raised their drink to the memory of those they had lost and drank deeply. Krillna and his warriors all mimicked the humans in their silence and honors.

 “Tonight…we honor our worthy enemies” The commander of the humans raised her cup one last time and as one all the humans followed. Krillna could not see the reason behind the last one but was not about to comment on it while surrounded by humans.

Instruments were tuned and soon employed to their fullest extent as humans began dancing and singing, wagers were made, games played and for a few moments Krillna could almost believe that they were simply back in his homeland celebrating the lunar convergence festival. Spotting the human leader on the outskirts of the revelry Krillna silently approached the human as she slowly drank and watched those she had shed blood with. Stepping on a fallen can of some kind alerted the commander and as she whipped her head towards Krillna, he froze in place…the look in her eyes was not that of a celebration but rather that of battle mad soldiers…items within reach categorized as weapons, responses and plans ranging from peacefully violent to disturbingly chaotic flashed through her face in seconds, her grip on the cup in hand and tensing of her muscles told Krillna that she had to stop herself from launching the cup at his face.

Raising his clawed hands in a sign of peace Krillna approached the commander slowly. As he approached the tiny human, no more than five feet tall, Krillna noticed tears leaking from her eyes in a steady stream cutting tracks through the remaining dirt and grime upon her cheeks. Hands shaking the commander raised the nearly impromptu projectile to her mouth and took a steadying sip before addressing the large warrior.

“What can I do for you Pack-Master?” Asked the commander as she turned her eyes back to the celebration before her.

“You do not celebrate victory like the others? Why do you spill tears so freely War Mother?” Krillna asked, using the honorific of the greatest female warriors of his people.

“I uh…it just takes a little time for me to wind down from battle and get into the spirit of things, eventually I’ll head out and show these youngsters how to really party but for now I will just have to deal with the aftermath of adrenalin.” The commander said with a small shake to her voice.

“I have heard of this adrenalin, most species would simply die if exposed to it but you humans produce it naturally?” The Pack-Master asked.

“Yes, our bodies naturally produce it and well…it dissipates quicker for some and for others it sticks around longer. Battle madness, bloodlust, berserker rage and more are just different names of the same thing, active or excess adrenalin…our minds are changed and muscles freed of restraints while under its influence but afterwards we have to put the beast back in the cage and deal with the mess it made, physically, mentally and spiritually.” The commander responded with a look in her eyes that said she was looking deep into the past.

“How did you humans tame the Gierophants? It was previously thought impossible to even safely approach them never mind ride them or direct them” Krillna asked in an attempt to steer the conversation away from the maudlin thoughts the commander seemed to be sinking into.

With an almost visible brightening of her features the commander looked up at Krillna.

“We didn’t actually tame them, we were trying to find either a good escape route to get everyone out or possibly a way to ambush the slentine army, make them fight on two fronts as it were. We ran across the herd of Gierophants by accident and sort of came up with the plan on the spot, we figured if they started to stampede in our direction the base would be destroyed but if they went just little to the side they would hit our enemies. Jackson over there used to be what we call a “cowboy” and said if you can point a bull’s nose in one direction the body would follow so we made some lassos and climbing rigs and well, the rest is history.” The commander finished with a small shrug and a decidedly less shaky sip of her drink.

 

 

Krillna was almost to shocked to breath “You found a herd of the planet’s largest and most dangerous animal, decided to irritate them into charging you with the enemy directly behind you on the hopes that they would also run over said enemy and while they did that you threw ropes on them so you could climb onto them and ride them…you humans are insane” with a shake of his great furred head Krillna could only thank the seven skies that these lunatics were on their side.

With a laugh the commander tipped the last of her drink back and wrapped her hand around one of his fingers, his hand being large enough to completely encompass her own, and began to pull him towards the firelight of the bonfires, a mischievous light in her eyes and a smile that spoke of wicked delights to come on her lips.

“Oh you haven’t even begun to see the madness of humanity, come and we shall sing you songs of our people” The commander laughed as the crowd enveloped them, music wound through the air like smoke, soldiers and warriors alike danced and spun and Krillna could only laugh as he downed the rest of his drink and threw reservations to the wind with a final thought.

‘Humans are weird, but wonderful’


	2. Helpers of the Galaxy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have had this idea bouncing around in my head for a while now and finally got enough thought out to be able to put a few sentences down and that soon turned into a few more and well...this happened...

Shi’tar could only look upon what was once his home with despair. The invaders had come and ravaged his world in barely a handful of cycles…entire cities reduced to rubble and ash in their wake. Huddling in the ruin of their home Shi’tar and his brood merely sat and hummed the song of mourning for their species waiting for the end to come. Food was scarce after the ravagers that destroyed their home had taken or burned what little they had. The Galactic Council had abandonded them in favor of turning their resources towards slowing the tide of destruction that was the Kellnakt, a nomad race of pillagers and destroyers. This was just one in a long line of worlds the Kellnakt had come to and destroyed, a small planet of little note in the big picture of the universe, why should the GC bother to help when they could put their effort towards protecting the next planet or system?

On the morning of the third cycle after the destruction of their world is when it happened. They came from the skies in thunder and fire, like angry gods come to strike down the survivors and put them out of their misery. Great ships hundreds of units wide and thousands long flew through the atmosphere in graceful arches until they came to rest upon the just outside what use to be Shi’tar’s home town. Shi’tar ran to the edge of the city to see what new curse had just landed on their world, mandibles clicking in fear. Hiding behind a tree Shi’tar watched in amazement as three ships carefully landed and began to open, bright light spilling out into the pre-dawn gloom until from the belly of one ship a figure emerged.

Taller than Shi’tar by half…shoulders clad in what looked like some kind of chitin the seemed to extend in plates down arms that rippled with muscle even under what looked like scaled armor between the chitinous  plates, a long torso that flowed down into a set of legs that appeared strong enough to crush Shi’tar with a single blow. Shi’tar took all this in quickly and thought maybe they had a chance at hope…they might be able to bargain slavery for safety, surely such a powerful creature could use a few servants to clean up or work in factories of some kind, until Shi’tar saw the eyes. Forward facing eyes that seemed to track all movement at once…the eyes of a predator.

Shi’tar felt both of his stomachs turn to ice as he looked closer, the creature turned its head side to side scanning the surroundings…with un-erring accuracy it snapped to one side when an animal cried out off to the side of the field, this was a predator, born to hunt and kill and it had come to this world scour any survivors from its surface Shi’tar just knew it. Lifting one appendage from its side Shi’tar saw that it held a…funnel? Cone? Of some kind to its facial orifice and began to speak in passably good Cochcorikan…the language of Shi’tar’s species.

“Hello? Are you a representative of the…shit how do you say that….um…. Cokc….Cokar…Cochcorikan? race and homeworld?” The figure asked as its voice was amplified by the cone out to Shi’tar.

Shi’tar turned away from the predator and put his back to the tree, all three hearts thundering like the beating steps of a Lanqor stamped. What could he do? He was just one Cochcorikan how was he supposed to defend his brood from a creature like this? And what did it mean asking for a representative? Was it looking to kill off the leaders first?

“Um, hello…We saw you behind that tree when we landed, could you either come out here or get someone who could speak with us please?” Shi’tar wasn’t sure if it was bluffing or not but he wasn’t about to reveal himself…even if it did know he was there, every minute it spent on him gave his brood more time to either run or simply live and he was going to give them every minute he could.

“Excuse me” the voice of the alien predator was right next to him.

“AHHHAA!” Shi’tar would later tell this part of the story as releasing a mighty war cry and not the sound of a scared hatchling. Laying there on his back Shi’tar looked up at the creature before him that had snuck up with the footsteps of a soundless breeze.

“AH Yes..um hello…do you speak for your world?” Why was it just standing there? It had him dead to rights and was in a position of power and dominance…wait… it was leaning forward and extending its appendage tipped in keratinous talons! This was it, Shi’tar closed his six eyes and waited for the Great Brood Mother to usher him to the Final Nest…um…why was it pulling him to his feet?

“Sorry I spooked you there, we are from the Human Relief Society and are here to offer aid if you would accept it.” Shi’tar couldn’t believe it, he was alive and standing before a creature born to hunt and survive off the death of others…it stood there towering in front of him baring its teeth at him in a show of dominance after displaying the obvious physical power it had by lifting him from the ground…was it hoping that he would run? Maybe it was looking for a chase before it killed him…and what was it talking about? Relief Society?

“We are a small group of humans that are hoping to provide aid to worlds hat have been effected by disasters like the Kellnakt invaders but in the hopes of maintaining peace and cultural boundaries we won’t help unless permission is given…do you want out help?” The massive creature looked upon Shi’tar with a glint of what could only be seen as hope in its large eyes…eyes the color of an ocean under storm and containing the fires of creation.

“Y-y-yes?” Shi’tar would later edit out the stutter of disbelief in later tellings but at the moment he felt as though the Great Brood Mother was smiling upon him…this couldn’t be possible…Humans, the great war species from a Death World that practically re-invented the word of ‘un-inhabitable’, the race that could live in almost any environment and who were known as an unstoppable tide of destruction and madness were here…to help.

“PLEASE! please help us worthless life forms oh great ones!, we have nothing of worth to give to ones so great but please help us, we are but weak farmers and merchants, we have no great warriors or love of battle but we will do as you command…please, I beg of you…help my brood, help my race.” Shi’tar would never feel shame at this display of weakness before such a creature as a Human for who was he to hold his head high before an engine of destruction such as the galaxy had not seen. It was not until the human dropped to one leg joint and placed a…hand?...yes hand that is what they called the great crushing ends to their appendages…upon Shi’tar’s head and spoke in a voice that conveyed all the love and shelter of the Final Nest that Shi’tar began believing that maybe his hive would live to see another solar rotation.

“What is your name, what would you have me call you?”

“This most unworthy one is known as Shi’tar, but I will take any designation you would honor me with oh Great One.” 

“Raise your head Shi’tar of the Cochcorikan Race…we are here to help not to subjugate, we seek to build not destroy…you say you are worthless but I see a species that has built a home and culture that can be spread across the stars…you claim you are weak but I see survivors that lived through an invasion of a more advanced species with little more than farm tools to defend themselves with…you say you have no great warriors or love of battle, I see a race that has ascended beyond petty conflicts and wars and that has built a world of peace and prosperity…if you would let us help you we would only ask that you perhaps teach us and help us achieve such a state…now do you want us to help you, so that you can help us?” Shi’tar felt his eyes excreting at the words of this mighty Juggernaut of war, to think that such a powerful race could possess such compassion was unbelievable, he could not say Yes enough to the offer of aid and assistance.

With a baring of teeth the giant of a human lifted Shi’tar to his feet once more and turned to his ship, placing a hand to his chest and pressing a previously unseen button the human seemingly spoke to the air and Shi’tar watched as the other two ships opened and rank upon rank of human clad in battle armor descended from ramps. Shi’tar had not heard any rumors of a hive mind between humans but it could only be so as they walked in perfect synch, their mighty steps sounding as one great beast walking upon the world. Forming into one large mass of bodies Shi’tar was amazed at what he saw…hundreds of humans in perfect rank stood before him and the other human, faces blank of any emotion, eyes burning a desire so deep it frightened Shi’tar to think of the lengths these humans would go to t achieve what they sought.

“HUMANS OF EARTH!” The human next to Shi’tar bellowed to the ranks before him “SOLDIERS OF SOL AND CHILDREN OF GAIA! THE KELLNAKT HAVE RAVEAGED ANOTHER WORLD AND BROUGHT LOW ITS PEOPLE, WE ARE HERE TO RAISE THEM FROM THE ASHES OF DESTRUCTION…WILL WE FAIL!?”

The response from the human horde before him was enough to echo from the very skies themselves, a resounding NO nearly blew Shi’tar from his feet. With a few orders snapped out in rapid fire the apparent leader of these humans sent groups to secure perimeters, survey landscapes, set up medical positions for wounded and sick and to scout for secondary and tertiary landing sites. The last orders confused Shi’tar, why would they need more landing sites? Surely they were all there was to help his people from destruction…right?

By mid-day no less than two dozen more ships came thundering from the skies to land across the planet with more ever arriving. Entire capital ships of materials landed only to be swarmed by humans and unloaded so that they might take off again and make space for another ship to land with yet more building and relief materials. Shi’tar stood within a hurricane of humanity as humans raced about with the light of purpose in their eyes, tents for the sick and injured were erected, building that somehow survived the invasion were either destroyed and rebuilt stronger or repaired and re-enforced. Survivors were ushered into small areas out of the way of the human’s rebuilding efforts and given food, hatchlings were kept busy and cared for, humans took time to play with the young ones so that they wouldn’t get in the way of the adults.

The humans moved with a grace and purpose born only of long repetition as they lifted rubble from collapsed buildings and moved materials from one place to another. The dead were gathered and  named, death rites were administered and rituals were observed to honor the fallen. The humans worked tirelessly throughout the day and into the night, lights were brought out to illuminate the work sites so that the humans could continue long into the dark. Hatchlings fell asleep to the sound of life being rebuilt around them, adults were consulted on the best places to build certain structures, in fewer cycles than it took the Kellnakt to destroy their cities Shi’tar was receiving reports from around the planet that entire communities were being raised once again.

Shi’tar looked out from the top of the tallest structure that had been built and marveled at his new home…every building had been built to the specifications of his culture, the path of destruction that had once marked his home world as another conquest of the Kellnakt was swept away in the storm that was the Human Relief Society …a storm of furious rebuilding and repair.

The time for the humans to leave came sooner than any would wish and many attempts at keeping the humans had been made, from shameless bribery to begging but none of the attempts were successful. It was with many ocular excretions that the humans boarded their ship and once again ascended to the stars until only one ship was left, the first ship to land in fact.

Shi’tar stood before the human that he had been cowering before and begging aid from and stood tall with a new found confidence. He stood as a survivor and friend to humanity as opposed to kneeling as a servant to a superior race, never had he stood so tall and proud.  Extending his clawed ‘hand’ Shi’tar shook the powerful hand of the human that had brought hope back to his world, smiling as best he could while his eyes leaked secretions of joy at the knowledge that his brood would not only live for another cycle, but thrive to see hatchlings of their own.

“Just remember, if you need help again don’t hesitate to call us, we may be labeled as deathworlders but that doesn’t mean we can’t promote life as well.” The human said as he shook Shi’tar’s clawed hand.

“Please, take these younglings with you, they may not be much for battle or labor but they have a mind for business and trade that may help you in the future, you helped us rise from the ashes of defeat and destruction, let us help you aid other in your quest to help others.” Shi’tar gestured to a dozen younglings that stood off to the side with bags packed and ready for travel.

“It would be our honor, admittedly we aren’t the best at the merchant side of things, all right you lot get aboard and prepare for  long ride our next stop is a few lightyears away.” The human said with a smile upon its face, Shi’tar still had to suppress a small shiver at the teeth baring sign of happiness that humans insisted upon.

“What will you do if you ever catch up to the Kellnakt? They are a warrior species the likes of which has plagued the galaxy for longer than most can remember, or will you stay ever behind them to undo what they destroy?” Shi’tar asked as the younglings walked up the ramp into the human ship and disappeared.

“WHEN, we catch up to the Kellnakt we will offer them what we have always offered…aid and help to rebuild a home, medical help for the sick and wounded and protection from those that would destroy them…should they refuse we will back away, but should they refuse and offer violence towards us or our friends…we will show them what it means to fight those born upon a death world and we will meet them with fire and fury to rival the gods and we will not stop until any threat to those under our protection is dealt with, and then we will offer aid once more.” The human spoke with a conviction and confidence that both terrified and inspired Shi’tar.

“Should you ever need food or supplies or simply somewhere to rest do not hesitate to return to us and we will provide aid in return though I can’t promise all the best the universe can offer as are but simple farmers and merchants.” This last part was said with a new found confidence, and a bit of newly learned sarcasm as he thought about the various crates of training manuals and weapons the humans had… “forgotten to load”…supplying weapons in certain situations could be considered illegal after all, but it was not un-heard of for items to be misplaced or lost all together in the hectic flurry of movement that was rebuilding cities and reloading star ships after all was said and done.

It was with a certain amount of sadness that Shi’tar and his people watched the humans board their ships and leave the atmosphere, with significantly less fanfare than they had arrived with thankfully. Shi’tar didn’t know if they would ever meet the humans again but he did know that if they did ever cross paths in the future, his people would not be seen as weak farmers and merchants easily broken and defeated again.


	3. Invoke the Battle Gods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case it isn't obvious I don't own any of the references or ideas that birthed this story, I am not making any money off it.

First Medical officer of the Galactic Union Revka Jihar looked on in awe as the human zipped from one console to other. Sliding from one side of the room to the other only to go back she displayed a true mastery of her job. Coordinating rank upon rank of human shock trooper forces into position, confirming approval of Human Medium Force Allowed, checking and double checking the health status of hundreds of humans, receiving reports from multiple divisions of engineers and mechanics about the status of one drop group or another…it was overwhelming to the Kalarian to watch.

“Shock Troopers stand by to stand by for final approval on drop, med squads confirm ready stations for injured, eng corps get those fucking launch tubes in the green before I come down there and fire you out one by one until I am satisfied my boys won’t hit atmo looking like strawberry jam, Hell Jumpers get to your pods and strap in we have yellow light on drop and I am not waiting for any Late Lucys should we get green.” The rapid fire communication of the humans had never ceased to amaze Revka, how they could say so much with so few words using only inflection, not to mention context, tone, body language and a myriad of other factors that they themselves seemed un-aware of. Keys rattled like gunfire beneath First Rank Orbital Shock Drop Coordinator Amelia Hargrove’s nimble fingers, screens came to life only to be replaced by others as they were dismissed. Within barely a handful of human minutes Frist Rank Hargrove sat back limply in her chair with her arms hanging down the sides as she breathed deeply in seeming exhaustion, Revka knew better though, he had seen this human go cycles without rest or nutrition.

An alert from the single remaining screen in front of the human grabbed her attention and her head snapped up from its slumped over position, the gleam of anticipation and sudden movement reminding Revka of the humans predatory lineage. Jumping to her feet with enough force to send her division command chair sliding back on tracks laid into the floor to the edge of the large room they occupied Amelia commed the captain of the ship.

“Captain Shelsa, Shock Trooper Command…I have green on all drop requirements, personnel and approval…Awaiting Final Command: Angel Fall.” Amelia Stood disturbingly still and focused as she awaited the order from her captain to release the humans upon the world beneath them. Revka stood in the back of the room next to the abandoned chair, furiously making notes upon his digital clipboard without even looking down at it. Being the first species other than human to witness the deployment of Shock Troopers into an active battle field Revka was not about to miss a single documentable moment of what he was witnessing. The tension in the air radiating from the human in the middle of the large room was almost enough to choke Revka, the human had not moved in the slightest since her last communication, her muscles seemed to bunch beneath her skin tight command suit as the micro-cycles slid by, until…

“Shock Command, Captain Shelsa…you are green for trooper drop, repeat you are green for drop…Amelia!” First Rank Hargrove’s head snapped up at the sound of desperation and pain in the captains voice.

“Yes Captain? I am here.”

“…Amelia, these, _monsters_ attacked earth…they struck down schools and hospitals…these **invaders took my baby girl from me without warning or reason given… _invoke the Battle Gods…_**.” First Rank Amelia went dead silent and painfully rigid from this last command. It was well known humans had music for all occasions and that they would perform different tasks with more or less efficiency depending on if music was being played to them and depending on the task or musical selection. Revka felt his feathers bleach of all color at the last command…it was not a command given with hopes of leaving survivors, the Battle God Queen was something of a legend among different species due to the effect said music had on humans…but these last words were spoken with such cold venom Revka had to grip the deck plates with his talons to keep himself from bolting in fear. Revka watched as the Orbital Shock Drop Coordinator calmly answered in the affirmative, slipped an Augmented Reality Visor over her eyes and seemed to deflate as tension left her body.

Walking to the middle of the room First Rank Amelia began to glow softly as synaptic relays lit up across her suit, lines of light racing from her toes to her visor and everywhere in between, muscles slid with liquid grace beneath her suit as she stalked forward.

It started gently…hands lifting to flow through screens only she could now see through her visor…hands and arms moving like the conductor of a symphony Revka had seen on earth and with each movement a new small screen came to life around Coordinator Amelia, each screen containing a new face…the faces of her boys…the faces of humanities most feared ground based battle troops…the Orbital Shock Troopers known only as the Hell Jumpers.

No words were spoken at first, Amelia simply stood there under the gaze of over five hundred trained, battle hardened, soldiers. Soldiers that were about to be dropped from orbit onto a planet light years away from home into a raging warzone with nothing but a small pod made to break away on impact to protect them from the heat and violence of atmospheric entry. None looked scared, no tears were shed in fear or pain, this was simply another good day to die for these individuals Revka realized.

 _“Kikiki! Kakaka!”_ The suddenness of Coordinator Amelia’s cry and movement nearly had Revka molting a full tails worth of feathers. Amelia slammed one foot down to her side so that she was bent at the knees.

“ _Kauana kei waniwania taku tara_ ” Hands slapped into her thighs and stomach muscles in time to her chant.

 _“kei tarawahia, kei te rua i te kerokero!”_ Feet stomped and hands slapped as she continued her chant, voice raising to echo throughout the room.

“ _He pounga rahui te uira_ ” Amelia’s voice rang with a clarion call to battle, it vibrated with the rage of an entire race that had been wronged as she raised a fist and slapped her arms.

“ _ka rarapa ketekete kau ana_ ” Revka felt sorry for himself as he watched the display before him as he had not thought to make arrangements for his newly born clutch of whelps should he perish on this mission.

“ _To peru kairiri mau au e koro e!_ ” Looking at the many images of the Shock Troopers arrayed before and around the still stamping and chanting Coordinator Revka could see that each one was focused upon her with a burning intensity.

” _Hi! Ha! - Ka wehi au ka matakana,_ ”  Eyes narrowed, teeth were bared in rictus smiles, pulses throbbed in necks, nostrils flared in anticipation as the chanting grew somehow louder and more fervent.

“ _ko wai te tangata kia rere ure tirohanga_ ” First Rank Amelia stamped and pounded her feet into the ground as if to defy fate to move her, as if she was seeing the future and challenging it to be anything other than what she demanded it to be.

“ _ngā rua rerarera_ ” Hands slapped and struck with force that would shatter the bones of Revka’s species like she was trying to beat reality into submission and bend it to her will.

“ _ngā rua kuri kakanui i raro! Aha ha!”_ With one final strike First Rank Orbital Shock Drop Coordinator Amelia Hargrove let loose a sound that would haunt Revka’s rest cycles for the rest of his life. The sound that echoed throughout the room seemed to contain all the suffering that had been felt at the hands of the enemy, all the pain of loss and the rage of those who could not do anything to seek retribution for those wronged. Screens lit up as each trooper dropped from the belly of the ship into the planets gravity well, each and every face pulled into a mask of rage and determination beneath face shields snapping into position. Revka thought that perhaps the spectacle was over now that the humans had been sent planet side…until Coordinator Amelia’s arm snapped out and with a few deft movements brought up a simple non-standard screen.

The media screen floated barely a hairs breadth from the end of Amelia’s finger tips as she scrolled down a list of songs. With little more than a thought a song was selected and broadcasted to every shock trooper, soldier and crewman.

Drums beat and strings were plucked with a sense of anger lurking behind the sounds, after only a few seconds of this First Rank Amelia began to sing in a tone of voice unlike anything Revka had heard from the normally bubbly and flirty Coordinator, like gravel grinding in honey and rising into an angry cry tinged with desperation.

I feel the pressure is building in me

 My stomach's sick, it's getting harder to breathe

 I hear the screaming, I feel the disease

 It's burning me up and there is nothing to breathe

Will you crawl with me

 Will you stand with me

Would you follow me

Would you believe with me

Tell me you'll breathe with me,

 tell me you'll die with me

Come on, get on, let me hear your war cry!

Come on, get on, let me hear your war cry!

Come on, get on, let me hear your war cry!

Yell it out, do or die

Let me hear your war cry!

The battle that followed after the start of this terrifying song was less a battle and more a chaotic slaughter of the enemy. Humans that had been forged of star matter and tempered over eons of living on a death world and driven by madness channeled from a world in pain through musical Battle Gods dark and ancient tore across the land. They fell from the skies in gouts of flame like avenging angles come to strike down the very gates of Hell, no enemy was spared, no mercy given nor asked.

 

* * *

 

 

The battle had been long and hard, the final count of the dead had come out to one hundred and seven troopers lost out of over five hundred…a small number but one that was felt like a hammer blow among those that knew them. Revka had stayed and watched the entire time as Coordinator Amelia somehow split her attention between directing troop movements and battle plans all while continuing to dance and sing to various songs of battle and victory. When the final call of victory came over the open channels the music was allowed to stop and First Rank Amelia fell still, her arms hung limp at her sides…screens showing haggard and haunted faces of her soldiers, her troopers, her boys signing off one by one as they went to seek medical aid or further orders, synaptic relays dimming from a fiery blaze to a pale glow until they too fell silent and dark.

Revka walked slowly from his position in the back of the room towards the silent and still figure of the human known among the crew as Battle Siren…the one human who was expected to endure the responsibility of coordinating hundreds of war machines, who was given authority to make decisions in battle and who had to carry the weight of those decisions. As he got closer Revka noticed a new taste on the air, sharp and salty…not sweat, he didn’t have sweat glands and the skin suit Amelia was wearing prevented her body from needing to sweat…tears? Yes Revka could taste the salt of tears on the air.

Slowly coming around to face the Battle Siren Revka was somewhat surprised to find a river of tears slowly falling from under the AR visor. With a deep breath as if she was emerging from deep waters Amelia lifted the visor from her tear soaked eyes and seemed to stare through the bulkheads and deep into the void, then in a soft whisper she said a single sentence that would be taken to the Galactic Council and repeated again and again among those who thought to strike out against the humans.

“They sowed the wind with their strike against our young and injured…so too did they reap the hurricane of our vengeance.”

 With that single sentence spoken a new sound began to emanate from the Coordinator, a long drawn out note not unlike the tune of a bell. Revka backed away and made his way out of the room, the Battle Siren had begun to sing a new song but not one of war and conquest, rather a song of pain and history filled with conflict but also about seasons changing and hope prevailing. The humans may have had a great pantheon of voices to channel inspiration from when going into battle, but so to did it seem that they had ones for peace and healing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not a maori and the Hakka in this is just one i found off of wikipedia from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka_Mate. I used this because I think it fit better than anything else i could think of, if you don't like or are offended by it...I really don't care the Hakka that I have seen are awesome and seem to be used for everything from weddings to battles. Hopefully I will have a few more paragraphs of my next Zootopia chapters done before I get inspired for another chapter of Humans Are Weird.


	4. Shield Maiden Of Knowledge

There are many stories of humans defying the odds, but there are very few that strike true fear of the hairless apes into those that hear them. Many stories and legends of old have been whispered among the stars of great humans that stood against the tide of change, who battled with forces beyond their power to defy but these are all stories long into the tale of Humanities dance among the stars, stories that inspire caution and tales that speak of ill fates that befall those who cross humans. There are many stories of small deeds, seemingly insignificant acts of kindness and bravery that provide a foundation for the great legends to stand proud upon, such as a tale not widely spoke of… a young teacher, a purveyor of historical knowledge to young minds, remembered best by a statue. A figure wrought of white stone shot through with black streaks and golden flecks that to this day stands tall and strong, holding a single tome clutched to its’ chest behind a shield while holding a blade aloft as if to ward away intruders, upon the blade a single phrase repeated in every language spoken by humanity: No harm shall befall these children.

 

* * *

 

It was near the beginning of mankind’s entrance to the galactic opera. Barely a few decades after First Contact and Acceptance a raiding party of Kazak struck an outlying colony. This was a peaceful world, farms and agriculture snuggled closely to cutting edge scientific institutions dedicated to the betterment of the very industries that they were surrounded by. It was very much a world built in a feedback loop of growing crops, improve methods, grow crops with improved methods, improve upon growing methods, grow crops with improved methods and so forth, constantly doing all they could to not only produce as much as they could from the land they were given but to in turn give back what they could to the land that sustained them.

The Kazak came like a plague of biblical locusts, great swarms that blocked out the suns of the world. Ships landed like bloated birds of prey only to vomit forth battalions of Kazak warriors, raiders of worlds that would strip the land clean of all it could immediately provide and leave it a barren scorched wasteland.

 

* * *

 

Mrs. Love was halfway through a lesson on the Spartans of Old Earth with her class when the sirens began to wail. Doing her best to remain calm Mrs. Love ushered her class of younglings into a special room that could double as a shelter if the need arose. Promising her class that nothing was wrong and that all would be well in a few minutes Mrs. Love pressed her palm to the scanner beside the door and sealed the room. Turning her back to the now closed door Mrs. Love surveyed her surroundings, ancient pieces of armor and weaponry imported from Earth specifically for the exhibit, benches to sit and think upon…not much else around her. Listening to the sound that the children were to young to pay attention to and discern from the back ground noise Mrs. Love listened to the sound of approaching steps outside the hall.

Mrs. Love was a kindergarten teacher, untrained, un-blooded, un-fit to battle hordes of enemies intent upon the destruction of whatever they saw fit to destroy…but that wasn’t about to stop her. She was a Human damnit, a Child of Gaia, Daughter of Sol and she would be damned before she would walk quietly into that good night only to leave her class behind to face the monsters under the bed.

Running over to a display the young history teacher quickly said a prayer for strength and forgiveness from the previous owner of the armor she was looking at. Grabbing a nearby ashtray she smashed the protective glass case around the set of bronze armor and with mounting panic quickly donned the heavy metal plates and helm. 

It was with no small amount of trepidation and humor that the raiding party of Kazak walked into the Hall of Ancient Earth Warriors only to see a human female in poorly fitting pieces of metal. Standing tall before a section of wall that scanners showed a large number of bodies behind the foolish female stood holding a spear in one hand, shield in the other with a sword attached to her hip. Like a child pretending to be their parents the young female pushed her oversized helmet back and spoke with a weak voice to the raiding party.

“I-I-I am Mrs. Love, Teacher of Histories to the kindergarten class of Sancti Nicholi Grade school….please turn back and approach no further, no harm shall befall these children.” Historical records would rarely, if ever convey the hitch and stutter in the teacher’s voice as she stared at the oil slick colored carapaces of the Kazak before her. Many accounts of the events would paint the 5’ 0” 130Lbs. teacher of history as a 7’ 6” 300lbs master of combat after her declaration of protection. Security footage of the museum has been confiscated but multiple witnesses attest to Mrs. Love’s combat prowess.

 

* * *

 

3Rd Battalion fourth infantry units, Call-sign Vladimir, were the first to stumble upon the museum after the attack. Powerful men and women clad in armor and wielding state of the art weapons walked into the Hall of Ancient Earth Warriors expecting an ambush or attack of some kind, only to be faced with absolute carnage. Bodies of Kazak Warriors lay scattered about the hall, dismembered and eviscerated and ravaged, an entire battalion lay dead like a macabre carpet stretching from one wall to the next. Looking up from the piles of dead bodies the group of humans was surprised to find a single entity showing signs of life. 

Sgt. Cortez approached the kneeling figure slowly and with his weapon held low to the side. It was a small figure, clad in ill-fitting bronze breastplate over crimson stained white dress shirt with equally ill-fit greaves over simple black slacks. Kneeling with round shield in one hand and sword in the other Cortez nearly missed the beginner’s history book clutched in a white knuckle grip behind the shield before the bronze helm rose in a single sharp movement. With a scream that would haunt Sgt. Cortez’s dreams for years to come the figure leapt into action with a stab that nearly took the Sgt.’s liver.

 Like a marionette whose strings were suddenly gripped by a drunken puppeteer Mrs. Love lunged with her appropriated short sword, after being deflected by a reflexive turn Mrs. Love swung her shield bearing arm as hard as she could with a scream of defiance. After her attempt at a shield bash was turned away Mrs. Love pivoted in a downward twirl she had no right to perform as gracefully as she did to strike at the armored figure’s legs.

Deflecting the strike at his legs with the bayonet on the end of his rifle Sgt. Cortez quickly retreated a couple of steps to better assess the armored warrior before him. Cortez was slightly surprised to find the relatively small form before him was swaying on its’ feet, the shield arm shook and the sword tip dipped periodically as if it was too heavy to hold upright properly. Upon closer inspection the figure showed all the signs of being beyond simply tired and well into being exhausted. 

In a single liquid move the armored figure moved and was within Sgt. Cortez’s guard before he could understand what was happening, with a scream and screech of parting metal the armored figure scored a deep gash through the breastplate of the Sargent’s armor from hip to heart. Grabbing the armored assailants hand and sword before it had a chance to recover and make another attempt the Sgt. tried something that he had no reason to believe would work.

“Stand Down soldier” The figure stopped like it had been struck “The battle is over, you are victorious Spartan, the pass is held and defended…stand down.” Like a puppet with its strings cut the figure fell limp in a clatter of armor, held up only by the arm held in Sgt. Cortez’s grip until it was slowly lowered to the ground, adrenaline and fear no longer lending strength to limbs unaccustomed to the burden of sword and shield. Hearing a slight sound from the helmeted figure Sgt. Cortez leaned down to better hear, and in a single, final exhalation, Mrs. Love the Spartan of Sancti Nicholi Grade School, Defender of the Innocent spoke her final words…”No harm shall befall these children.”

At the entrance to every school after that day a statue was erected, a statue of a young woman standing tall and proud clad in ill-fitting armor, holding a book behind a shield with a sword held aloft as if in challenge to those who would dare bring violence to those under her watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than the others but I couldn't get this out of my head and I have no idea where the inspiration came from since I was having a snack and watching LOTR when it hit me so I had very little to draw from. Ideas and comments are always appreciated.


	5. One Of Us

Crewman 2nd class Talaka didn’t look up when Human-John sat down across from him in the mess hall, he simply continued to munch listlessly on his Corova nuts, letting the bitter taste wash over his pallet only to be followed by a smoky sweetness. Humans had tried the nuts and said it tasted like orange peels made of chalk dipped in BBQ sauce, if he ever made it to a sizeable earth colony Talaka thought he would like to try such foods.

“Ok Tal, talk to me what is wrong?” The sudden question caught Talaka by surprise. Looking up from his mid wakening meal Talaka was suddenly reminded why so many species still considered the humans to be terrifying and dangerous.

Eyes the color of his home world’s forests in the middle of a raging storm, set forward on the cranium like many other predators, were locked on him with un-nerving focus. The overall posture of the human he had come to think of a ‘friend’ (how many humans identified their pack bonded companions) was relaxed and loose, cheek propped on one fist while the attached elbow was rested on the table. Utensil lightly grasped in the humans clever small arms…fingers they called them…made a steady route between the tray and the humans sharp, tooth-filled mouth as he seemingly waited for an answer to his question.   
  
“I do not understand the question Human-John, what makes you think there is something wrong with me?” Talaka asked in an attempt to deflect from his momentary discomfort at seeing a human unconsciously begin a stalking pattern. Giving a sigh and laying down his utensil Human-John straightened his posture and… _shifted…_ the eyes that were lazily focused on Talaka suddenly had a sharp gleam to them, lips quirked in a tooth bearing smirk, shoulders hunched forward slightly with both hand clasped lightly on the table in front of him after pushing the tray to the side. Talaka was suddenly reminded of the damage those hands alone could do after having witnessed humans partaking in something they called “fight club”.

“You really gonna make me do this? Ok you asked for it…Your head crest has been particularly droopy and low the last few shifts, your plumage is usually immaculate and very well cared for but I can see feathers sticking out at odd angles and you have left a small amount of dust at your station every time you leave it meaning you haven’t been properly grooming yourself. Normally you have a very attractive blue coloration that fades into an acid green at the tips of your feathers but lately the colors have been muted and dull and the feathers themselves less well cared for. You are one of the most boisterous eaters I have seen of your kind and yet the last few cycles you have been picking at your food with all the enthusiasm of a small child being made to eat something they don’t want to in order to get dessert. Normally your talons and beak are almost professionally manicured and yet I can see at least three cracks on two talons and the cuticles are peeling up meaning you are most likely dehydrated further leading me to believe you aren’t properly taking care of yourself and I can see flakes coming off the edge of your beak meaning you most likely have been neglecting yourself for much longer than simply a few cycles since that is one the signs of mineral deficiencies in your species. Now you can either talk to me or you can talk to the captain but if you keep this up you will be talking to someone sooner or later and the words ‘Destructive Neglect, Depression’ and ‘Re-assignment’ will most likely be used…so come on, tell me what is wrong and maybe I won’t be able to fix it but at least you can have someone listen.”

Talaka was dumbfounded…the human had just pointed out many things about him, and to a lesser degree his species, that none of the other crew had seemed to pick up on. How the human had come to know the warning signs of mineral deficiency and grooming neglect was beyond Talaka. Giving up on pretending to eat his meal Talaka lowered his gaze to the table and spoke in a low mournful tone.

“My mate, the starlight of my world, Moon-fire to my soul and the Sweet Wind that carries me to new heights sent me a message that our eggs were to hatch soon…” Human-John was slightly confused…normally such a declaration was one to be said with pride and happiness…the way Talaka said it, he might have said he was going to walk to the gallows and be hung.

“And what? That is great news T! you are gonna be a dad! You should be happy…what has got you so bummed out?” Talaka raised his now watery gaze from the table and fixed a stare onto Human-John that nearly broke the galactic juggernauts heart.

“I was there for they eggs laying, I was supposed to be there for their hatching, our mission was not supposed to go as long as it has and now we are a full three galaxies away from my home world…if I am not there for my hatchlings when they enter the world they will never see me as their sire or accept me as such…I am afraid this is the way of our species…I will be a father with no chicks…even with our FTL travel technology it would take at least three cycles to make it back to my home and by then the eggs will have hatched.” The despair at losing his hatchlings seemed to have finally broken through whatever barriers Talaka had as tears soon streamed un-hindered from his large black eyes as he turned his gaze back to the table. It wasn’t until Human-John slammed a fist down on the table that Talaka jerked his head back up, crest held high in alarm as his entire body poofed out in a somewhat embarrassing fear response. Looking at his ‘friend’ Talaka was taken aback…emotions raged across the human’s facial features…anger, despair, joy and finally…hope. A light seemed to glow in the depths of the human’s eyes…a fire that looked like it could burn stars from the heavens and raise entire civilizations from the ashes. With speed only a predator species could naturally have the human pulled a small inter-ship communication device from his pocket and quickly began speaking into it while simultaneously pulling out another communication device.

“Captain, Engineer Wildes, I have a Code Stork priority Alpha, repeat, Code Stork Alpha.” Placing the shipcom. down on the table Human-John began to type and send messages on his long range com unit faster than Talaka could follow, his fingers moving with unerring accuracy on the keys and eyes focused with an intensity on the screen it was as if all other outside distractions had been swallowed by the depths of space.

“Um…Human-John I apologize for interrupting but what is Code Stor-“ Blue and Pink lights began flashing and the captain’s voice soon came over the intercom, all movement and conversation stopped at the flashing lights but only the humans seemed to understand what was going on as every single one stood from their spot and seemed to go as still as stone awaiting the announcement.

“Code Stork Alpha, Level 3 Jump Clearance Stations GO GO GO!” Before the first GO had even stopped echoing every human employed the traits that gained them fear and admiration across the galactic stage. Many raced around chairs and crewmembers alike in a mad dash to their unknown destinations while others jumped from table to table like stones over a river. It seemed that only the humans knew what to do under a Code Stork as all the non-human crewmembers looked equally confused to Talaka. Looking back to the human Talaka had to force his feathers from puffing out again at the intense look on his friends face, teeth bared in a grin that did not look at all comforting and eyes seeming to burn with the fires of creation itself, Human-John uttered a single sentence.  


“Don’t worry, it will all be Ok.”

With that said Human-John bolted from his seat and raced off in the direction of the bridge. Seeing non other alternative, as he had no idea what his duties were under these conditions, Talaka followed as best he could. Barging onto the bridge Talaka was witness to the most beautiful scene of Humanity that he had ever seen…the bridge was entirely staffed by humans and each one was yelling one piece of information over the other. Hands flew over keyboards, orders were fired down lines of communication like rapid fire from a machine gun, courses were plotted using mathematical equations that probably wouldn’t work for any other species than humans, notes and orders and containers of the Death Sentence Drug known by humans as caffeine flew through the air if caught in a high wind. In the middle of all the madness stood the captain himself, like a stone peak in the middle of a hurricane he stood tall at his command table. Talaka shuffled off to the side and turned on the micro camera all non-human crewmembers were issued in order to better study humans. A small camera set into his rank and rate patch came to life and began recording footage that would alter be picked over by some of the greatest minds of the age.

 

As if grabbing the reigns of a great Earth War Horse the captain seemed to gather the chaos and madness of all around him and direct it with a few short orders and barked words. The atmosphere of the bridge soon went from chaos to focused insanity as the humans present suddenly bent towards their various tasks with even more intensity than before.

“GET G.U.F. LIGHT-SPEAR ON THE HORN AND TELL VICE-ADMIRAL AKINAT THAT I AM CALLING IN THAT FAVOR FROM CALA IV, TELL ENG. MAK ON THE G.U.F THORN THAT HE IS GONNA GET A CASE OF HIS FAVORITE GLOW WORMS IF HE CAN SET HIS FTL DRIVE OFF-SET TO AU 12546.690 UNITS IN THE NEXT 30KILOCYCLCES, SUNNY YOU THERE?! GOOD I GOT A CODE ST.ALPHA! GET YOUR BOYS OFF THEIR COLECTIVE ASSES AND LET THEM KNOW THE FIRST FIVE ROUNDS ARE ON ME NEXT OFFICERS BALL IF THEY CAN LINE THEIR DRIVES UP IN SEQUENCE ON MY LOCATION, IVAN YOU VODKA SOAKED REJECT I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT! A BLIND VOLARIAN BADGER COULD HIT A GNAT’S ASS FROM 7 AU WITH A STRONG HEADWIND IF THEY HAD HALF THE RESOURCES YOU DO GET IT DONE!.” Slamming his hand down on the various comm. Links to close the connections the captain stood tall amongst the hurricane of activity. Talaka was sure he hadn’t moved from his spot by the door since he entered and certainly hadn’t said anything and yet as he watched the captain seemed to stiffen into a rigid pillar before whipping around to stare directly at Talaka. Once again reminded of the predatory classification of all the current bridge crew members Talaka once again felt himself puffing up in alarm, this feeling was certainly not helped when the captain bared his teeth in a…’smile’ (yes that was what the handbook said it was)…that was less comforting and more sugar coated madness.

“Crewman Talaka, you might want to take a seat” at this the captain pressed a small button without ever breaking eye contact and a small seat folded out of the wall next to Talaka “Make sure to strap in tight because we are about to break some serious science in a few minutes…oh I hope Admiral Caldwell has stocked up on the good stuff because she is gonna need it when she hears about this…” This last part didn’t seem to be directed at anyone in particular but still evoked a certain amount of pity for the aforementioned admiral in Talaka as he quickly sat and strapped himself into what he now recognized as an emergency crash seat.

A small hum seemed to emanate from somewhere in the ship a few minutes later, Talaka strained to determine where it was coming from but it almost seemed to shift from the aft portion of the ship to the front, port and starboard and never in one place for very long. At hearing the strange tune all the humans came to an abrupt halt, Talaka was considering asking if all was well when the strange humming tune from the ship seemed to shift again and remain where it was, somewhere behind him from deep within the ship near the engine room if he had to guess. Once the tune had finished it’s strange movement Talaka noticed a jump gate beginning to form in front of their ship, once Talaka realized what the gate was he also noticed a new sound. Glancing around Talaka followed the source of the sound back to the captain, who had begun humming.

Talaka was amazed as he realized the sound the captain was making was in harmony with the sound the ship was making. A few seconds later Talaka felt the ship give a minor shudder and begin to move forward, at the same moment the small number of humans from the Nav. Corner of the bridge began their own humming, lower and discordant with the ship and captain but still beautiful it seemed to pulse in a quick rhythm compared to the ship’s humming note. Soon a new sound joined the first two, lower and with a slower pulse to it than the first note from Nav. the weapons division had begun their own beautifully discordant harmony.

Talaka desperately wanted to ask about the sounds the crew was making but the ship soon entered the jump gate and was dragged into the space between spaces at speeds faster than light. Watching the stars blur and extend into lines of light Talaka was shocked to find that he could hear even more notes beginning to sound from deeper within the ship. Almost as if every division and department upon the ship had been given a signal multiple notes began to resonate through the ship’s hull. Before he knew it Talaka realized he was witness to some kind of human symphony, like a chorus of War Hawks from his homeworld the humans had begun to sing… no words were spoken but the intent was clear. These humans were singing and harmonizing not only with each other but with the ship itself, alarms would blare and be silenced with a change in pitch, the ship would drift dangerously close to the edge of warp-space and soon be corrected back onto with a tonal change…all stemming from the captain.

Talaka felt tears leaking from his eyes at the beautiful madness he was witnessing, humans had found (probably un-knowingly and by accident) a way to sing themselves across the cosmos…and that is a warp GATE WHY IS THERE A MOLTING JUMP GATE IN THE MIDDLE OF A JUMP GATE THAT ISN’T POSSIBLE DANDRUFF RIDDEN HUMANS ARE TRYING TO KILL HIM!!!  The entire ship shuddered like a beast ridding itself of insects as it passed through the impossible jump gate within a gate and as it did so the sound the humans were making changed to a lower and darker tone with the occasional word almost drifting in the background, not quite at the range of hearing but definitely there. Weapons Div. soon began stomping their boots upon the deck plates and lightly pounding their fists upon their workstations as the overall sound of the ship took a dark and ominous turn.

Talaka was sure he was going to die…if the whole double jump gate didn’t kill him and smear him across the known universe then trying to understand how humans worked was going to kill him. Claws gripping the seat he was in, Talaka felt he should be surprised when he saw what looked like yet another gate open in front of the ship, and yet he was on a ship being piloted solely by humans, there were no rules anymore. Hitting the new jump gate Talaka noticed the sounds the humans were making changed once again….high short sounds from the Nav. Corner began drifting through the bridge like the laughter of some playful Eldritch God while Weapons Div. raised their voices from a rumbling grind into what his species would say was a call to battle.

Just as he was beginning to consider praying to the gods of his hatchling years Talaka both felt and heard the ship beginning to slow down…the strange song the humans had been wordlessly singing to the ship losing volume and coherence, the individual departments and divisions pulling away from each other. Soon the ship exited jump space and re-entered what most would consider the ‘normal’ universe…Talaka slumped into the crash seat one by one the humming notes began to die off until there was only the captain, humming a soft song to himself as he ran his fingers over various buttons and comms. To make sure the ship was still in good condition after a theoretically impossible jump.

A small ringing chime from his personal communicator nearly had Talaka losing more feathers and did end up scaring him quite literally out of his seat. Pulling the small unit from the pocket he kept it in Talaka was mildly confused to see it was a message from his mate back home…a very familiar message informing him of the impending birth of his first hatchlings.

“CREWMAN 2ND CLASS TALAKA FRONT AND CENTER!” The shout from the captain barely grazed his already frazzled nerves but thankfully his training kicked in and Talaka was in front of the captain and at attention before he had even finished speaking. The captain stepped up to Talaka and gave him a quick once over, once the cursory inspection was complete the captain gave a short, sharp nod and began to speak in a low, grave voice as if he was passing sentence on a convict.

“Crewman 2nd Class Talaka you are a valuable member of this crew and a credit to your species, as such I have a mission of utmost importance and I feel that you are the only one suited for this mission…do you accept?” Feeling like saying no would probably not be in his best interests and having already given up hope for seeing his hatchlings Talaka answered in the affirmative.

“Excellent, your mission which you have chosen to accept with these crew members as witnesses is as follows: I charge you as your captain to go planet side and observe the birthing process of the local species, they are similar in appearance to yourself so you should have no problem blending in and fully integrating into the local society. This will be a long term mission lasting until the local customs of the planet and species allow for you to leave so I suggest you pack accordingly, you leave within the next 30 minutes. Good Luck.” To say he was confused at this mission was an understatement, this sounded like some kind of spy mission set up by a xeno-biologist, neither of which he was.

“Perhaps you would like to look out the forward view screen to get a better understanding of the planets overall climate and immediate weather patterns?” The captain suggested. Talaka had been around humans long enough to now know for sure there was something going on. Shoving the suspicions to the back of his mind he walked slowly towards the view screen…and nearly choked on his sharp intake of breath.

Home…the word resonated from deep within his mind and clenched like a warm velvet fist around his heart. The planet he was born and raised upon lay spinning serenely below them…a minor storm system forming around one of the poles…all three continents practically glowing iridescent green with their natural lush vegetation. The great amethyst oceans he remembered sailing upon with his father as a young hatchling seemed to call to him. Spinning quickly (in a move he would later realize was incredibly human) Talaka watched as every human on the bridge rose from their seat, came to a position of attention and gave a crisp salute…even the captain was saluting him.

“You have a mission to complete Crewman…your mission which you have already accepted is to attend the birth of your hatchlings and raise them as best you are able. Your shuttle planet side leaves in 28 minutes, I suggest you don’t be late.” The captain said, as if on cue the comm. Unit next to him suddenly turned on and the voice of the Galactic United Federation came screaming out of the speakers.

“DAMNIT CAPTAIN MILES WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT BREAKING LAWS OF PHYSICS AND TIME WHEN I AM DO-“ the voice was suddenly cut off mid-rant as the Com.Chief stood upright and shoved what looked like a bundle of wires into his pocket muttering about faulty new systems and how back in his day…

Not even bothering to try and stop the tears leaking from his eyes Talaka gave an academy perfect salute and raced to the doors to the bridge; if he hurried he would have just enough time to pack a quick bag before making it to his shuttle.

 Reaching the doors he was again momentarily confused at the sight of every human crew member, and even a handful of non-human crewmembers lining the hallway on both sides. Seeing both lines of his shipmates suddenly snap to attention and render a sharp salute filled Talaka with a sense of pride like nothing he had ever felt before. These deathworlders…these small gods of war and destruction that would run face first into battle had sung their way across uncountable light-years and apparently even drilled through the fabric of time itself to bring him home, just so he could be there for the birth of his firstborns.

Racing down a corridor of humans Talaka felt he should be surprised when some held out already packed bags and a fresh uniform for his to change into on the trip down to the planet, of course they had already packed his luggage for him why should he believe that hadn’t thought of that. The shuttle down to the planet was less of a liberty shuttle for crew members going to have a good time on a new planet and more of a terminal velocity combat drop. Normally Talaka would be clutching his seat and losing feathers but this day, he whooped and gave small war cries right alongside the pilot at every bump and turbulent sway of the shuttle.

 

 

 

Captain John Miles watched with no small amount of pride at a mission accomplished as the tiny beak broke through the shell. He had watched the recording Talaka had sent the ship of his first borns being born no less than seven times in the last few hours, along with the following recordings of tiny little squeaky hatchlings hopping around the birth nest…chirping up at momma and papa for food or warmth…cuddling into momma’s neck and falling asleep beneath the long, almost hair like feathers that draped around the glowing females shoulders…struggling to climb to the top of Mt. Pappa and chirping to the world their victory from atop their fathers head.

It was with a very satisfied smile that Cpt. Miles signed the extended paternity leave paperwork for his Crewman 2nd class…even with the leader of the human race still screaming at him in the background about breaking time and how lucky he was that those chicks were so fucking adorable she might not pursue hanging him by his own intestines as long as she got to cuddle at least one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK I know I have said it before but if you like this don't just slam that kudos button (even though it does give me warm fuzzies when i get the notification) but leave a review, tell me i mis-spelled something or that it doesn't read very well somewhere, make a suggestion for a future chapter, give in to the madness of your birth and speak your mind unto my lesser existence!


	6. Burned Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK a new chapter on probably my most popular work, hopefully I will be able to come up with one that has a bit more action in it soon. This one seemed a lot longer than it actually turned out to be when I was typing it.

‘Medical Emergency, Navigation 4, Medical Emergency, Navigation 4.” The message repeated over and over across the PA system of the Leviathan Class exploratory ship. A massive space fairing vessel dedicated to finding the edge of creation and everything in between the Galactic Edge was a marvel of multi-species engineering…fifteen different habitats built to within micro-specifications for the species they were meant to hold, seven multi species common areas built to accommodate every race on board, enough FTL drives to be able to be fired in succession so when one batch went down another could be brought online so they didn’t even have to stop for a cool down period between jumps, recycling processes efficient within .0001% allowing near as possible full self-sustainability for an indefinite amount of time. The main drawback of such a marvel of galactic traversal being of course…the FUCKING size…larger than some moons, a population numbering more than some planets (or at least it felt that way) and yet somehow never enough personnel in the right places at the right times.

_‘Of course the emergency is right inside the border of my territory, because why wouldn’t it be? And of course it had to be JUST as I was about to go off shift’_ thought MD1 Joseph Jarl, JJ to anyone who wanted to continue a comfortable existence, after all no one knew how best to take someone apart than the ones who had to put others back together. Running at full human speed JJ flew down the various passages dodging, spinning, ducking and jumping around the many obstacles in his way with all the predatory grace humans were gifted with.

_‘Ha and mom always said it was a waste for a doctor to learn parkour’_ Sliding on one hip beneath the centaur like body of a Gravelin engineer and popping back up to a full run JJ jumped and thrust one foot out to run alongside a bulkhead when he came to a T-section of corridor, narrowly missing the heads of a group of Ranki environmental scientists as he fell from the wall and rolled to maintain momentum.

Slamming a hand to the Medical Bypass Badge on his chest, signaling the door immediately in front of him to open JJ slid to a stop inside Nav.Bay 4, eyes flicking around the space looking for the emergency. Sharp ocean blue eyes registered three different species, one of which still tensed when in direct line of sight of his forward facing predatory gaze. Attention landing on a group of navigators clustered in a small huddle JJ slung the medpack off his back and approached the group. Head held high, shoulders wide and a purpose in his stride JJ projected every ounce of authority he could dredge up from his years as a medical professional he could when he ordered the group to back up and give him some space to work with. Approaching the center of the group JJ noticed it the Elental on the floor, curled into a ball and rocking back and forth while making small pathetic whining sounds while very obviously having a hard time breathing.

Dropping to one knee in front of the one species on board that most closely resembled a human JJ slowly reached out and rested a hand on the Elental’s shoulder. Being a species that stood on average around 6.5-7 feet tall he almost had to reach up to grasp the rocking figures shoulder.

Elental were a bipedal race with nearly translucent skin in direct light, long sharply pointed ears, eyes that stretched from the bridge of a dual slit nose to where the temple would be on a human with three pupils each, mostly human proportioned faces and a universally slender build. It was a very little known fact but the first time the human council met an Elental the lead diplomat was in fact recorded on official record as having muttered the phrase ‘Fuck me we found Space Elves’ though the actual audio recording of this moment was very deeply buried beneath as much galactic red tape as was possible.Noticing there was no response to his touch JJ turned to the closest navigator and asked for any details on the medical emergency.

“We don’t really know Human JJ, he was trying to determine some FTL jump coordinates and the timing required to make them when he started shaking and his speech became rapid and somewhat slurred, he began shaking and clutching his, well it would be the stomach on you, but his main pulmonary area and his respiration began to rapidly increase. When he tried to walk away from his station he collapsed and that was when we called the emergency, is he sick?” The Fenra asked nervously after the quick report on what happened. JJ would never admit it but seeing a three foot alien that looked like were-shitzu nervous and scared was absolutely adorable.

“I don’t think so no…hold on,” Quickly determining that there was no eternal injuries JJ tried raising the Elental’s head to look into his face but his patient seemed to be in a stubborn mood. Taking a chance JJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lighter, simple 20th century zippo, an antique passed down in his family that he kept in working condition and never went anywhere without. Flicking it open with a sharp, practiced snap JJ kept the grin of his face when the Elental’s gaze snapped up at the sudden sound. With a flick of his thumb JJ lit the lighter and held it directly between his eyes. The Elental’s six pupils swiveled and in a rather disconcerting motion…fused into a single large pupil for each eye the size of an Old Earth nickel, totally focused on the flame a mere six inches away.

“What is your name?” JJ asked slowly, in a deep and calm voice that witnesses would later report had a strange resonance to it.

“E-e-ekariel” the Elental responded with a slight stutter, eyes locked on the tiny flame as JJ slowly began to move it back and forth.

“Listen to my voice Ekariel, listen to nothing but my voice, focus on the sound of my words and know nothing but my words…What do you feel Ekariel, what is beneath you right now?” This question spoken in the same deep resonating voice. “Tell me what is in the now, what is beneath you at this very moment.”

“Deck plates” The answer came out in a somewhat hurried response.

“Describe the deck plates Ekariel, what are they made of?” The flame moved slowly from left to right and back again, never going further than the outer reaches of the human’s own eyes…left eye, right eye back to left and repeat.

“Cold, metal, textured in small waves, rigid” Ekariels voice came slightly stronger, less breathless and wheezing.

“What do you see Ekariel, describe what your eyes are telling you.”

“Fire, small flame, glittering eyes, blue stars and black holes.”

“What do you smell Ekariel, describe what do you smell in the immediate area around you?” JJ asked as he pitched his voice slightly lower and slowed the waving of the lighter marginally.

“Four species…Musk, fur, water…Otorian species fresh from the hydrosphere…Dust, heat, insects…Lidarians recently from the arid habitats….mold, plant decay, rain…Jaguras from the forest dome…pheromones, sweat, spice, disinfectant…human recently in the medical bay.” Ekariels breathing slowed and stabilized as he spoke, voice gaining slightly more strength.

“What do you hear Ekariel, tell me what sounds you hear in this moment.” The flame now slowly traversed from one pupil to the other, no faster than before but slowly closing in on the middle of the humans face.

“Typing, I can hear digits impacting sensor boards to the right…scratching, someone is writing equations long hand for accuracy checks near the forward portion of the bay…breathing, so many breathing patterns.” The Elental’s eyes never wavered from the flame, slowly tracking it back and forth, voice becoming stronger, limbs no longer shaking as bad though still quivering slightly.

“Focus on the breathing Ekariel” Now the flame only traversed from the inner corner of JJ’s eyes, never moving faster or slower, JJ’s voice becoming slightly deeper, seeming to hum and resonate more from his chest than his throat or mouth. “Listen to the breaths around you, feel the air move as it is taken in and expelled…smell the breaths of those around you, those who would look after you…now slowly block them out….block out all the breaths but your own…tell me about your breaths Ekariel.” The lighter now barely moved past the outer edges of JJ’s nose.

“Three respiratory voids…expanding and filtering contaminants from the air…nutrients being stripped from atmosphere into the blood stream…collapsing and expelling by-products of respiration…oxygen, nitrogen, helium being removed from the system via respiration…” Ekariel’s voice now had an almost sleeping dream like quality to it, low and slow.

“Tell me about the heartbeats Ekariel…how many do you feel?” The flame was still now, directly between JJ’s eyes, the focused and unblinking eyes of a predator staring directly into Ekariel’s own dilated pupils.

“I can only feel one heart beat…I can only feel my own heart.”

“Come back to us Ekariel…focus on my voice and with every beat of your heart come back to us…with every beat, shed the fear that imprisoned you and follow my voice.” JJ slowly began to back away from Ekariel as spoke, incrementally rolling onto his haunches as the Elental followed the flame. Slowly JJ closed the lid to his antique lighter snuffing the flame. As if waking from a deep sleep Ekariel blinked and shook his head, pupils splitting back into two sets of three and eyes widening.

“Easy, easy, Ekariel… focus on the now, sight, smell, touch, hearing focus on those come on lad breath in…out…in…out, there you go, no don’t get up…lay down and focus, gather your thoughts.” JJ slowly eased the Elantel don fully onto the deck plates and raised his reverse jointed knees as best he could.

“Ekariel I need you to listen to me, listen to my voice…are you listening?” Ekariel nodded his head, looking up a JJ with a slightly dazed look on his face. “You had a panic attack E.K., logs show you haven’t had a sufficient rest period for three cycles and in that time your nutritional intake has sharply declined. You are suffering from lack of rest and negligence of sustenance, as such I am removing you from the duty roster for the next four cycles and requiring you to report to the Galley Watch for every normal meal time where you will eat AT A MINIMUM a full standard meal of no less than one and a half again the daily nutritional requirement for at least two cycles. You are barred from any areas or activities relating to the navigation or piloting of this vessel…basically you are going to take the next four cycles to eat food, sleep, relax and either work on or find a hobby.” JJ finished with a small smile at the oddly shell shocked look on Ekariel’s face.

 

* * *

 

After having received JJ’s report on the medical emergency and that Ekariel would be fine with a few cycles of rest and full meals the captain instigated a mandatory rotation of extended rest periods lasting at least three cycles unless otherwise noted by a Corpsman. On paper the decision was to help the training and cross training of individuals by exposing them to a variety of new positions for longer periods of time and to potentially familiarize more of the crew with the inner workings of other departments and areas of the ship. In reality it was so the entire crew could have a chance to catch their breath and actually enjoy it before being thrown back into high stress situations, they were going to be on this ship for quite a long time after all, no need to have them burn themselves out so early in the voyage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any ideas or suggestions for future chapters is always appreciated, comments always give me warm fuzzies.


	7. Adrenaline

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone has any ideas for future chapters let me know in the comments since I find myself running low.

**Adrenaline**

Shots pinged off nearby crates as the crew of the GA Exploratory Spirit huddled behind cover. The pirates had come out of a warp jump less than half an AU away, nearly destroying both of their ships electrical systems with the resultant EM wash of a jump, and had immediately opened fire on the long distance exploration ship.

Being a ship meant for long terms of service and exploration into deep space the ship was a bit more geared towards defense than most other ships. Repulsor fields snapped into place around the ship, point defense turrets whirred to life and interceptor drones swarmed from hidden bays all along the ship’s length. The pirates had ignored all attempts at communication and had doggedly continued their attack, drones fell, turrets overheated and shields required recharging.

Soon enough the pirates had found a point of entry at one of the cargo bay doors, security crews were immediately dispatched with orders to detain if possible, kill if needed.   
  
“SONOFABITCH!” Screamed Security Squad First Class Amelia Harper as one of the pirates shot off a corner of the crate she was hiding behind, nearly taking her ear off in the process. SS1 Amelia watched as the shot that nearly hit her shattered against another crate and left a strange fluid behind along with small bits of glass.

“Can anyone tell me what the hell these guys are shooting at us?! Last time I checked bullets and lasers didn’t leave bits of liquid and glass on impact!” Master Gunner Clekota looked over from another set of crates after firing off a few suppressing shots before answering.

“Fluid impact shots, they mean to either hit us, overwhelm us and take us alive to be sold on some distant market or hit us, kill us and sell the bodies and parts.”

Amelia looked to her fellow humans as they hid behind various crates, there was plenty of cover to be had on either side of the conflict since the football field sized cargo bay was stacked nearly to the top of the two story tall area in some places with aisles running the length and breadth every few yards. She had to chuckle a little at a random thought as she re-loaded her blast pistol _‘I feel like I am playing cowboys and Indians in a major metro area’_ and indeed the comparison was not entirely unbelievable as the stacks of cargo crates and containers were taller in some areas than others, like skyscrapers of Old Earth among smaller buildings. Taking a few deep breaths she turned and with the predatory eyes and instincts of her ancestors lined up a shot on one of the pirates before it had a chance to duck back into cover and scored a perfect headshot.

A wailing cry from deeper on the defender’s side of things drew her attention; it looked as if one of her crewmates had been hit. Amelia watched as Corpsman Second Class Gerald pulled one of their crewmates to safety and began administering first aid. Looking back and deciding it was now or never she quickly snapped off a few more quick shots, actually managing to tag a pirate in what passed as a shoulder for their species, and ran back towards the downed crewmember.

“Status report” The command was crisp and short, no time for anything else right now.

“Shot in the side, 90% delivery, heart rate skyrocketing, eyes dilated, respiration increased…these readouts look familiar but the toxin analyzer hasn’t confirmed anything yet.” The young corpsman replied as he tried to calm the Sriantian. With her webbed hands and feather like gills, large storming sea blue eyes, nearly translucent glacier blue skin and long twilight purple hair Corpsman Third class Selenta was admittedly a beauty, that her love of all things had driven her to leave cover and attempt to give aid to a human that had gotten a small cut from one of the pirates darts was commendably foolish. A small and inappropriately cheerful chime came from the toxin analyzer on HM2’s arm.

“Got the breakdown, ok various bullshit…preservatives…blue dye #7? Not weird at all…oh you are shitting me…” Amelia felt her curiosity peak as the entire form of the corpsman slumped, right before he pulled a syringe out from his fanny pack (though he would always vehemently claim it to be a medkit) and slammed the needle home almost directly into Selenta’s heart.

“Mind filling the rest of us in on what the bad guys are shooting at us Doc?” SS1 Amelia asked as she began to help return fire from the slowly advancing pirates.

“These dumb shites be shootin' adrenaline darts at us Amy, they do be shootin' our own chemicals at us!” Apparently Gerry’s ancestry peeked through a bit more under stress it seemed.

“Of course they are firing DrenDarts at us!” Came a shout from Master Gunner Clekota “Did you think they were going to be hitting us with sugar! The battle drug adrenaline in a concentrated form causes heart failure and madness in most species, though most simply die from the heart overload and those that don’t end up tearing themselves apart along with their crewmates!”

Amelia looked back to the young corpsman as he held the small aquatic fellow corpsman, what she saw when he raised his eyes to hers though shocked her…rage like she had never seen in the normally gentle healer.

“SS1 Amelia…” She perked up at the voice as much as the way he addressed her…she had always just been Amy to him “These outlaws would only be put to death if brought in alive and are trying to capture us to sell us like slaves…I know I have no authority to give you an order, but maybe a suggestion...Show them what it means for humans to go to battle.” The grin that crossed HM2’s face was one of bloodlust and guilt, hatred and pain…and in that moment SS1 Amelia really took notice of how he held his fellow corpsman, the tenderness in his grip and the fury in his eyes not at what was happening around him… but at what had happened already to one he cared for. With a matching grin SS1 Amelia gave a sharp nod and called out to her fellow humans.

“Humans of the GA Exploratory Spirit, these scoundrels have struck one of our own” The back and forth shots of both sides waned until only a few shots were volleyed “These dregs of society have harmed a member of our crew and are thinking to take over our ship…and they think to do it with ADRENALINE…let us show them the folly of their actions.” With that said, Amelia stood tall and looked down on the young medic holding his lady love and smiled like a mother assuring her child during a thunderstorm. “Stay here and all will be well.” The voice that issued from the angle of righteous fury that now stood in SS1 Amelia’s place was at odds with the fury her stance spoke of.

 

* * *

 

 

Stepping out into the aisle of crates Amelia spread her arms wide and presented an irresistible target to the pirates. Well she thought it was irresistible, all the pirates stopped shooting at her bold move…right until she began to raise her pistol and sight in on what she assumed was the leader. A single shot was heard with a small grunt of pain and impact following as a dart bloomed from Amelia’s shoulder right above her heart. The pirates began to laugh among themselves at the stupidity of the human who had given up and decided to be shot instead of sold…until a new voice of laughter began to sound among their own.

Reaching up slowly Amelia pulled the dart from her shoulder and tossed it aside…then raised her arms and made a beckoning gesture. Two more shot sounded at her impudent gesture…but no sound of impact…she had plucked the darts from the air like slow tossed softballs. Tossing the darts off to one side the non-human crew could only stare in terror and confusion as two more humans grabbed them and stuck themselves with the darts. Standing up and leaving cover there was now three humans in the aisle…all smiling with mouthfuls of teeth and a somewhat manic gleam in their predatory eyes, each one giving off the same disconcerting sound…a dark ‘chuckle’.

The non-humans of the Exploratory Spirit watched as more humans calmly left cover only to be shot with the same battle dug that was outlawed on nearly every civilized planet…only to see a strange transformation overtake their crewmates. Fingers which were usually so clever and dexterous stiffened and curled…some into hooked claws that looked perfect for grasping and rending…others curled further into powerful fists perfect for bludgeoning. Facial muscles that were usually so fluid and expressive seemed to be struck with a horrible mocking rigidity, pulling faces into snarling smiles that stretched much too wide to be the comforting expression it was supposed to be. Shoulders that rippled with powerful movements like waves in a deep ocean hunched slightly and began to shake with tension…powerful legs that allowed the humans to move with a grace most species could only dream of bent slightly, feet raising up off the heels and shifting the humans’ weight forward onto the balls of their feet. Chests began to rattle and heave with increasingly loud breaths as if a dark forge was being lit within each one.

Master Gunner Clekota slid down until he was sitting on the deck cradling his weapon to his chest, seeing the looks his fellow crewmates were sending his way the MG could only close his eyes.

“I never thought I would hear it in my lifetime…I hoped I would never hear it…a human’s call to battle is not something that is often heard. There are plenty of recorded conflicts with groups and individual humans…but when a single human calls out to others in the area… it tends to be a massacre.” He fell silent after that and appeared to be praying though no one had ever known him to believe in anything other than the weapons at his disposal. Looking back to the humans that had been shot with the terrible battle drug the non-humans all recoiled at what they saw. These weren’t their crewmates, shoulders tensed and hands folded into killing shapes, breaths coming fast and hot, faces pulled into terrifying masks of malicious glee...these were what humans USED to be, these were the creatures that had bent a deathworld to their will, the monsters that spat on gravity and launched themselves into the void with fire and force…these were the beings that despite having an entire planet against them had risen to the top of the food chain.

Death was their steed, madness their shield and with a reckless abandon did they wield blades of chaos leaving naught destruction in their wake…these were _humans._ With a sharp yipping sound SS1 exploded forward into a full sprint, the pirates were so surprised they barely registered what was happening before Amelia was practically flying over their heads with her arms up and out like  the wings of some great bird of prey, her legs tucked up to her chest after having jumped up and over the hasty barricade, only to come crashing down feet first onto the chest of a rather unlucky pirate. Other humans had raced around the barricade to come slamming into the pirates form the sides, fists flew like full auto rifle fire as their adrenaline surged muscles sang with newly un-restrained power.

Carapace shattered, bones splintered, shots were fired reflexively not realizing they were only making the humans that much more dangerous. Fists and feet flew in powerful pistoning strikes, arms and legs swung like scythes through wheat, joints broke from the power no longer held back and bodies toppled as their legs were swept from under them. It was almost completely over in less than a minute as the humans decimated the attackers, a sharp word from HM2 Gerald drew their attention, terrifying many of the other crewmembers as they were not ready for so many sets of dilated predatory eyes to suddenly snap in their direction. A quick movement of his hand and the pack of humans whipped their heads in the opposite direction, only to see a group of pirates that had been able to escape the initial attack fleeing as if the hounds of hell were upon them…actually they might have preferred that, at least then they would have had a chance at escape.

With zero hesitation the humans launched forward, eerily silent compared to the firefight and melee not more than a few minutes earlier. A handful of the humans jumped up on crates and boxes, using them like stepping stones in their quest for the top of the stacks, climbing like the ancestrally arboreal species they were until they looked out upon the rows and columns of open space between stacks of crates. Running along the tops of the crates these humans were able to easily outdistance their quarry, beginning to descend to various lower levels in order to cut off the pirates escape routes.

Back on the deck level the hunting pack of humans was quickly and almost silently catching up to the pirates…silent but for the laughs and giggles they were letting off, small sounds of dark joy and sadistic glee. Seeing their counterparts cut off the pirate’s escape routes only caused them to smile wider, especially when their prey turned to face them with weapons raised. The look on the scum’s face when they noticed how close the humans were and how fast they were approaching would be a source of amusement for many cycles to come.

The hunting pack hit the pirates like a tsunami, Security Squad Second Class Edward drove his 6’8” frame shoulder first into the stomach of a Calama Battle Caste and without stopping picked the pirate up and continued his mad charge, right into the corner of a metal shipping container, denting the container and pinning the rogue in place…perfect for the flurry of powerful punches SS2 Ed “The Tank” began to rain down upon him. The adrenaline was beginning to ware off for the hunting pack and they planned on making the most of the remaining time they had. SS1 Amelia closed with a pirate that had been quicker on the draw than his compatriots and had actually been able to get his rifle raised to a firing position. Planting her back foot Amelia swept her left arm out to the side in order to redirect the pirate’s line of fire, but instead of simply pushing the rifle away Amelia grabbed the body of the weapon and as she took her last step she slammed her foot down in a quaking stomp, twisted her torso and shot her right hand forward with fingers half curled in a devastating palm thrust with most of her body weight and power behind it…the rifle bent and nearly broke in half.

With a whipping motion SS1 spun her torso back the other way and swung a vicious back fist into the Primora Apenscus’s monkey like face, she knew she would be feeling that stupid move later since not all of that crunching and breaking had been the alien’s facial bones but for now she was reveling in the feeling of invincibility that was coursing through her veins like molten sin. Looking over to one of the last of her impromptu pack she was rather surprised and not a little bit proud at seeing SS3 “Mini” Mina, a 5’ nothing 115 lb blond slip of a girl, swarm up the 8’ tall four armed figure of a Loxocali Raider. Figuring the little blonde haired blue eyed ray of sunshine would probably go for a choke hold or something Amelia was more than a little shocked when Mina grabbed the collar of the pirates clothing, reared back and slammed her teeth into the humanoids neck right where the jugular would be. With a vicious shake of her head and jerk of her torso the little Security Guard pulled her head back and took a good chunk of the invader with it, thankfully the shock of the whole event had caused the alien to throw himself backwards and thus allowed the tiny human to ride him all the way to the deck.

“SS3 remind me to have you psych eval’d when this is all over because damn if that wasn’t brutal, fucking impressive but damn brutal. Status reports sound off and make it snappy.” Each member of her team sounded the all clear and no injuries. Giving a short nod SS1 Amelia promptly allowed herself to give in to the mounting exhaustion she felt, falling to her knees, then onto her face and thanking the Void the metal of the deck was so soothingly cool against her cheek. Amelia tried to hold out as long as she could to make sure her people were okay and for the most part was successful, her last memory before the blackness took her was that of SS3 Mina curling up to the side of the pirate she had killed and using one of his arms like a blanket.

 _‘Definitely need to get that girl psych cleared, but damn if that isn’t adorably disturbing.’_ And with that SS1 passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again let me know if you want any kind of specific plot or idea for future chapter, also if you want a continuation of previous chapters I am willing to try.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly these are pale shadows of what you can find on tumblr if you look for the right tags, also to anyone folowing my Zootopia stories this is kind of an apology for the long wait between chapters of my different stories...i do have them in the works but one is going on longer than i anticipated and the other just needed a swift kick in the ass to get going again and hopefully should be out sooner rather than later. If you have ideas for any of the stories I will happily consider them and possibly add them to the plot while giving you full credit on the idea.


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